Biting bird

Things have been going so well lately, with regards to the birds. Koi is turning 7 next month. Her bird, Jak, is turning 8 in July. This there is this birb. Dam birb: Idris. Idris will be turning 6 in February on Valentine’s Day.

I’ve been though bitey bird spells before, but they were with my Koi Monkey, and she and I had to work out a system. We worked that that instead of her biting me when she did not want to step up onto my hand, that she would take a step or two away from me. Instead of getting her to step up on my hand to be put back in the cage, we worked out a hand gesture that tell’s her it’s really business right now “I need you to go to your room”, and she’ll put herself away. We went through all this from ages three to five. I even changed that when I ask her for a kissy, I get my nose tapped on with her beak, instead of offering my lips. We also touch my fingertip to her beak to do a kissy, too.

So what’s up with my Iddy Bird? Idris has always been the most social bird with adults in the house. She loves to see you, hang out with you, fly to you, and now, bite you. She’s so excited! Sometimes she flies to my shoulder and starts talking to me and grooming me, and then comes around and tries to bite me right on the mouth or on the side of my cheek. I’ve checked… there are no blemishes there for her to try to groom off of you. Then you want to get her away from your face, so she bites your hand because she’s so excited! She’s not done playing! I don’t want to go back! So, now my hand is bit, my face is bit, and there’s this happy little bird that just got flung back to the cage.

Also, when it’s time to be put away, you will get the bites of “DON’T WANNA”. Usually I can count to three and these bites will lessen immensely, or completely stop if she’s given up. But, she doesn’t use the cue I give Koi to put herself away. She knows it. She’ll even start to do it for her daddy, because reasons, but then try to psyche him out like “OH WAIT. WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CAN WE PLAY SOME MORE?”.

I have a big bruise on the back of my index finger because dis dam birb.
She’s just a happy little girl.